Forage: The Most Essential Part of your Horse’s Diet

Up until a few years ago, I had a common solution when my horses’ weight seemed to drop off (which was usually at the onset of winter)–increase the concentrates! I believed what many horse owners are led to believe: concentrates provide the majority of the horse’s nutrition. I thought hay and grass were mostly fillers. It never occured to me that forage is where a horse gets (and should get) most, if not all, of his nutrition. I’m a little embarassed to admit that I had these assumptions, but I’m sure it’s fairly common.

I now know better. For your horse to maintain his weight, he needs to consume about 2% of his bodyweight per day. If your horse weighs 1,000 lbs, he would need to eat about 20 lbs. If you’re feeding a coffee can of grain or some other type of concentrate a couple times a day, it should be pretty obvious that the feed isn’t making up those 20 lbs.

Forage is the most essential part of your horse’s diet.

If a horse is losing weight, the most logical thing to do is to increase the amount of forage. Of course, some older horses could have problems eating hay, and may need a hay alternative, such as beet pulp, soaked hay cubes, etc. But assuming there are no dental issues, feeding more good-qualtiy hay should help solve the problem.

One winter’s worth of hay at my barn!

‘But my horse needs a concentrate!’ many people may say. And in a few cases, they may be right. But in many cases, it’s simply not true. Not only are concentrates unneccesary much of the time, they can actually cause problems. The horse’s digestive system isn’t set up to handle large amounts of concetrates, for one. By feeding this way, you could be increasing your horse’s chance for colic or other digestive disorders.

I’ve purposely sought out studies that focus on a forage-based diet, and I’ve written about several of them for The Horse. My article, Forage-Only Diet for Performance Horses Evaluated, is based on a study that makes a logical and persuasive case for the forage-only diet, even for top equine athletes, such as racehorses. I highly recommend reading it.

My point in all this is that we, as horse owners, should be taking a closer look at our horse’s forage. It isn’t just a filler! It’s the most important part of his diet. Seeking high-quality hay is important, and consistently assessing your horse’s body condition score (BCS), especially during the winter months, is key, too. If the BCS decreases, it’s time to increase your forage!

About Me

Hi! I'm Casie, a freelance writer specializing in horse health. I'm certified in equine acupressure and have a great interest in equine nutrition and barefoot hoof care. The Naturally Healthy Horse encompasses all of these things, and I would love to have you follow along!

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This blog is not intended to diagnose or treat horses for any condition. It is meant solely for informational purposes. Please seek veterinary advice for any problematic condition with your horse.